Fact Check: 76 Million Indians don’t have Access to Clean Drinking Water

India is in a dismal state of affairs, with respect to accessibility to ‘safe drinking water’ in comparison with China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Kenya. 1As per Water Aid data published on World Water Day in 2017, 76 million people in India do not have access to clean drinking water.

2As per data submitted by Rajya Sabha, dated February 6, 2017, 16% of 167.8 million households in the rural hinterland get water through pipes.

3What’s more? 7% of India’s rural population does not have access to ‘safe drinking water’. 67% of India’s population resides in the rural areas. Worried yet? Read further.

4It is disheartening to know that the drinking water supplied to many rural habitations is contaminated with iron and arsenic. Both cause fatal illnesses such as respiratory system hemorrhage, skin lesions, and cancer.

New-age pollutants are only making the case worse. It is essential to have a robust water purification system for all kinds of contaminants at home to ensure access to safe drinking water.